Automobile generator regulator



April 14, 1936. H A, CHUBBUCK zfl ifllg V AUTOMOBILE GENERATOR REGULATOR Filed Dec. 24, 1954 H. IINIIIIJ 7-5pm 05 F. 0 20 40 e0 60 mo 12 I40 use SPR/NQ PRESURE OZ. N I n INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

I to temperatures.

In lretemeda e. 14,1936

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,037,118 r AUTOMOBILE GENERATOR anoona'ron I, .Horace A. Chubbuck,-Dcarbom, Mich, assignm-v to Ford Motor. (lompanmnearborn, Mich, a corporation oi Delaware Application December 24, 1934, Serial No. 758,929

8 Claims. (01. 171 -313) The object of my invention is to provide an automobile generator regulator which, when used in combination with a conventionalthird-brush regulated generator, will maintain the output 8 voltage of the generator at apotential equivalent to the maximum safe charging rate of the battery at the ambient temperaturelof the battery, and, of course,.within the limitsof the generator. My

I device operates in a manner similar to convenl tional regulators in that a resistance is inserted Q in the'field circuit of the generator when it is desired to reduce the output of the generator. The voltage at which this resistance is inserted :varies according to the ambient temperature of 15 the battery so that the generator may operate at its maximum rate until the battery is fully charged; A predeterminedoutput voltage causes the opening of a pair orcontact points which are in series with the field. winding of the generator 20 and across which is shunted a resistance to thereby reduce the output voltageoithe generator to only that required to operatethe fixed load of the vehicle. Temperature responsive means are provided, as in some conventional regulators'where- 25 by the voltage at which theresistance is inserted I varies according to the temperature oithe regulatorjfor the reason that, when the battery is cold, a much higher voltage is required to fully I charge samethan is required when the battery is tid warm. However; this desired voltage does not increase in direct proportion to the drop in tern-- perature oi the battery, buton the contrary a greater increase in voltage per degree of drop is I required at the lower temperatures than at high For this reason, the conventional iii-metal thermostatic compensator is not entirely I satisfactory. it is, therefore, the purpose. or this invention to provide a thermostatically operated means which will compensate for temperature 40 changes over the full operating range of the vehicle, My regulator differs from the conventional typeof regulator in that two ratesof'compensa tion are provided, one for temperatures-below '70 degreesFahrenheit and the otherfor tempera- 45 tures above '10 degrees Fahrenheit I Still a further object "of my invention is to provide means whereby the voltageregulator is rendered inoperative to reduce the charging rate of the generator during theperiod when the vehicle 50 engine is being warmed up. Inasmuch as my regulator is operated by the ambient temperature of the device, it is important that the regulator be inoperative until it has attainedits normal operating temperature. Provision is made, nevere :Il theless, whereby an excessively high charging voltage, such as might, burn out the filaments in the light bulbs, is prevented even though the device has not reached its normal operating tempera'ture.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts of my improved device, as described in the specification, claimed in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: 10 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic wiring diagram of a conventional vehicle battery, generator and cutout in combination with my improved regulating device. a

Figure '2 is a side view of my improved regulator, showing the arrangement of the thermostatically operated controls, and

-Figure 3 is a chart showing the effective spring pressures on the regulator armature for the various operating temperatures of the device.

My improved regulator is mounted together with a cut-out upon a base plate 32, the whole unit being enclosed-within a housing 33 which is adapted to be fixedupon the generator of the vehicle engine.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, particularly Figure 1, it will be noted that I have pro vided a generator it which has the conventional third-brush type of regulation. A storage battery H is provided, the positive terminal of which is grounded to the vehicle frame, as is one terminal of the generator it. The output terminal of the generator is connected by means of a lead 62 with an armature it of a cut-out unit and also with one end of a high resistance cut-out winding it. lhe other end or the winding it is grounded so that upon the output voltage of the generator increasing above 6 volts, there is sufficient flux generated to draw the armature l3 downwardly. A pair of cut-out points 15 and it are secured 0 respectively. to the armature l3 and to a stationary bracket, the stationary point it bein connected to one terminal of a low resistance winding IT. The other end of the winding i1 is connected to the negative pole of the battery H. Consequently when the generator voltage reaches approximately 6 volts the contact points l5 and I6 close thereby conducting the output current of the generator through the winding l'l which holds the armature in its downward position to thereby connect the generator and the battery in a con ventional manner.

The foregoing elements have been described solely to bring out the operation of my device; however, they form no part of my invention.

a spring 21 extends from the armature about half- The third brush of the generator is connected to one end of the generator field winding while the other end of this field winding is connected.

through a wire l8 with the armature i 9 of my regulator. A contact point 20 is fixed to the free end of the armature l9, this point coacting with a stationary point 2| which is grounded. I have provided a fixed resistance 22 which is connected in series with an inductive resistance 23, the latter being wound around the core of my regulator, which two resistances are shunted across the contact points 20 and 2|. Consequently, when the contact points are open the resistances 22 and 23 are in series with the field winding of the generator and inversely, when the contact points are closed, the field winding of the generator is directly grounded.

I have provided a regulator winding '24, one end of which is grounded and the other end of which is connected to the wire l2 from the generator so that the flux produced by the winding 24 tends to pull the armature l9 downwardly and open the contact points 20 and 2|. The purpose of providing part of the field circuit resistance as inductive resistance is that upon the opening of the contact points the generator voltage drops slightly and causes less torque to be produced by the winding 24. This reduction in torque is offset by the added flux of the resistance 23 so that,

way down to the screw while the spring 25 extends all the way to the screwand coacts with adjusting nut thereon. The springs are both composed of invar and brass and are placed with the invar sides of the springs abutting each other.

Thus, upon an increase in temperaturethe springs tend to deflect towards each other and thereby neutralize the movement of the springs over their,

abutting length. The springs 26 and 21 urge the armature l9 upwardly so as to close the contact points 20 and 2| and consequently, variation in the curvature of these springs varies the spring pressure on the armature. The voltage at which the generator is reduced is thus regulated by the spring pressure on the armature which is the resultant of the two opposed springs. The springs are formed so that at 70 degrees Fahrenheit both are fiat. When the temperature drops below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the free end of the spring 2] tends to deflect towards the right while the free end of the spring 26 tends to deflect towards the left so that at such temperatures the movement of these springs is independent of each other. Consequently, an increase in spring pressure occurs due to the lowering of temperature, this increase being governed by the deflection of the full length of the spring 26 independently of the spring 2'1.

When the temperature increases above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the springs 26 and 21 deflect towards each other so that those portions or the springs which overlap neutralize each other. It is only that portion of the spring 26 between the outer end of the spring 21 and the adjusting screw 28 which is effective to vary the pressure at temperature changes above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. For this reason a much reduced change in spring pressure results for each degree of temperature ,heit, the former being produced by the spring 2 alone, while the latter is produced by the differeritial action on the springs 26 and 21. The resultant effective spring pressures upon the armature I9 thus more closely approach the spring pressures required to maintain the battery in a fully charged condition at all operating temperatures.

Inasmuch as the action of the'regulator depends upon the temperature of the springs 26 and 21 and inasmuch as these springs are located at the generator which ismounted upon the motor, it is quite essential that regulation be dispensed with until the device assumes it normal operating temperature. In order to accomplish this I have provided a bi-metal strip 29 having one end connected to a tap on the regulator winding 24 which is taken oil from a turn about a quarter of the distance from the grounded end of the regulator winding. The free end of the bi-metal strip is provided with a contact point 30 which coacts with a stationary grounded point 3|, the whole unit being mounted within the regulator housing 33. The strip 29 is so mounted that an increase in temperature tends to open the contact points III and 3| however, suflicient tension is provided to prevent opening of these points until a temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit is reached.

This point is not critical. Thus, when the generator starts up from cold the flux from only about three-quarters of the regulator winding 24 tends to open the contact points 24 and 2|. The full charging rate of the generator is thereby, produced irrespective of the condition of the battery. When the regulator reaches its normal operating temperature the points Ill and 3! open to thereby allow the full winding 24 to come into play so that the springs 26 and 21 then regulate the device according to the ambient temperature oi. the regulator. However, an excessively high generator voltage will produce sufiicient flux even with only three-quarters of the winding 24 to open the points 20 and 2 I. The lamp filaments are thus protected against such voltages as might cause their failure.

In operation, the generator when started almost instantly builds up. suflicient voltage to close the points i 5 and I8 and inasmuch as the contact points 30 and 3| are at this time closed, the armature i9 is still retained in its upward positiou so that the full output current or the generator is produced. After about five minutes of operation, the strip 28 warms up to its normal operating temperature so that, it at this time the battery is fully charged, then sufiicient current will be generated in the winding 24 to move the armature i9, thereby placing the resistances 22 and 23 in the field circuit 01' the generator.

. Among the many advantages arising from the use or my improved device, it may be well to mention that I have provided means for altering the effective armature spring pressure at one rate for temperature variations below 70 degrees Fahrenheit and at a different rate for the temperature variations above 70' degrees Fahrenheit. In this way improved regulation is obtained which more closely approaches the theoretical requirements for perfect regulation.

Still further, the means whereby the regulation is rendered inoperativeuntil it has attained its ,viceiis operating.

normal operating temperature insures that correct regulation will be provided whenever the de- Some changes maybe made in the arrangement,

combination and construction of the several parts comprising my improved device without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims such changes as .may reasonably be included "within the scope thereof.

I claim as my invention:

I 1.,In a regulator adapted to reduce the outpu current of a generator-upon the voltage of said current reaching apredetermined value coml ing, means for increasing said predetermined value at one rate for ambient temperature-reduc- I tion's'within one temperature range, and a second means for increasing said predetermined value at a diiierent rate for ambient temperature reductions within a second temperature range.

'2. In a regulator adapted to reduce the output current of a generator upon the voltage of said current reaching a predetermined value compriscurrent of a generator upon the voltage of saidcurrent reaching a predetermined value comprising, temperature responsive means for uniformly varying said predetermined value at one rate for ambient temperature changes over the full operating range of the regulator, and a second temperature responsive means arranged to counteract said first mentioned meansover a portion 01' the operating range, whereby a resultant'rate difrespectively, bi-metal elements having differing effective lengths with the sides having the low expansion coefflcients arranged back to back, for the purpose described.

6. A regulator adapted to reduce the output current of a generator upon the voltage of said current reaching a predetermined value comprising, an armature, a resistance in the field circuit of the generator, contact points actuated by said armature and arranged to operatively short-' circuit said resistance, a regulator winding energized responsive to the voltage of the generator, a

spring associated with said armature tending to close said points, means tor increasing said spring pressure at one rate for ambient temperature reductions'within a range of low temperatures, and means for increasing said spring pressure at a difierent rate for ambient temperature reductions within a range at higher temperatures.

7. A device, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said spring and both of said spring pressure increasing means comprise a pair of bi-metal members, one of which extends from the armature to an adjusting screw on the regulator.

8. A device, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said low temperature range extends from 70 degrees Fahrenheit downwardly, and wherein said higher temperature range extends from. '70 degrees Fahrenheit. upwardly.

HORACE A. CHUBBUCK. 

